Occupational Safety Month 2024

Labor Safety Month is an occasion to discuss the importance of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the context of Vietnam’s industrialization and modernization. During this month, we propose solutions to improve OSH, including applying new technologies and learning from the experiences of other countries.

I. History and Context of the Labor Safety Month’s Inception

Labor Safety Month is an annual event held in May in Vietnam to raise awareness about the importance of labor safety, minimize work accidents, and prevent occupational diseases. To better understand Labor Safety Month, we need to see it in the historical context and the development of labor safety work in Vietnam.

Foundations for labor safety work

• Before the August Revolution: The legal system for labor safety was lacking, working conditions were harsh, and fraught with risks.
• After the August Revolution: The Vietnamese government began to focus on protecting the health and safety of workers. However, due to war and economic difficulties, labor safety work had many limitations.

Formation and development of Labor Safety Month

• 1962: The first national conference on labor safety was held, proposing measures to improve labor safety work, including organizing a “Labor Safety Month”.
• 1965: The Vietnamese government issued a Decision to organize a “Labor Safety Month” nationwide.
• Post-Doi Moi (Renewal) period: Labor safety work made strong progress, the legal system was perfected, working conditions were improved, and awareness of complying with labor safety laws was raised.

Significance of Labor Safety Month

• Raise awareness: Propagate and educate on the importance of labor safety for workers, businesses, and the community.
• Enhance responsibility: Raise the responsibility of all levels of government, businesses, and workers in ensuring labor safety.
• Promote effectiveness: Concentrate resources, step up inspection, examination, and handling of violations of labor safety.
• Minimize work accidents: Contribute to reducing work accidents and occupational diseases, protecting health, and improving the lives of workers.

Promoting labor safety in the new context

• Protecting vulnerable worker groups: Pay special attention to labor safety for young workers, migrant workers, and workers in the informal sector, who often face higher risks.
• Leveraging technology for safety: Encourage the application of new technologies such as sensors, data analysis, smart wearables to enhance safety monitoring and detect potential hazards in the workplace.
• Learning from international models: Study innovative approaches in labor safety management from other countries, adjusting them to fit Vietnam’s practical conditions.

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II. Objectives and goals to be achieved for Labor Safety Month

It is organized with the general objective of raising awareness about the importance of labor safety, minimizing work accidents and occupational diseases, and contributing to protecting the health and lives of workers. To achieve this objective, Labor Safety Month sets out the following specific goals:

1. Raise awareness about labor safety:

• Strengthen propaganda and education on labor safety:
  • Diversify forms of propaganda:
    • Use diverse communication channels such as newspapers, television, internet, social networks, …
    • Organize direct, vivid propaganda activities such as seminars, exhibitions, …
    • Develop rich, easy-to-understand propaganda materials suitable for each target audience.
  • Focus on practical content:
    • Provide basic knowledge of labor safety laws, labor safety procedures, and measures to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases.
    • Share practical experiences in preventing work accidents from businesses and organizations.
    • Raise awareness of the importance of a labor safety culture in the enterprise.
• Organize training activities and workshops on labor safety:
  • Diversify training content:
    • Organize training courses on specific labor safety topics by industry and field.
    • Provide in-depth training courses on advanced labor safety skills.
    • Organize workshops to share experiences on effective labor safety management.
  • Ensure training effectiveness:
    • Use diverse, vivid teaching methods such as presentations, group discussions, and skills practice.
    • Provide complete, high-quality training materials.
    • Evaluate training effectiveness through tests and surveys.
• Use media to propagate labor safety:
  • Utilize online communication channels:
    • Develop videos, infographics, and articles on labor safety on social networks, websites of businesses, and functional agencies.
    • Organize online communication campaigns on labor safety with the participation of KOLs, influencers.
    • Use online advertising tools to reach the target audience effectively.
  • Encourage community participation:
    • Organize creative contests, drawing contests about labor safety for students.
    • Encourage workers to share experiences and ideas about labor safety on social networks.
    • Organize talks and discussions on labor safety with community participation.

2. Enhance responsibility for labor safety:

• Raise workers’ responsibility:
  • Encourage workers to actively protect their rights:
    • Provide workers with knowledge about their rights and obligations related to labor safety.
    • Create a healthy work environment where workers can report hazards, risks, or labor safety violations without fear of retaliation.
• Coordinate among stakeholders:
  • Establish labor safety committees in enterprises with the participation of both enterprise and worker representatives, to strengthen coordination and supervision of labor safety.
  • Strengthen cooperation among functional agencies: Encourage information sharing, inter-sectoral coordination between state management agencies on labor safety, trade union organizations, and social organizations, to improve the effectiveness of work accident prevention.

3. Promote the effectiveness of labor safety work:

• Strengthen inspection and examination of labor safety:
  • Diversify forms of inspection and examination, combining surprise checks with regular inspections.
  • Make specific inspection and examination plans, focusing on high-risk industries and enterprises.
  • Build a professional team of labor safety inspectors with professional qualifications and inspection and assessment skills.
  • Strictly handle violations of labor safety to create a deterrent.
• Apply science and technology to labor safety work:
  • Use new technologies to monitor and warn of potential hazards in the work environment (e.g., sensors monitoring air quality, AI cameras detecting violations, wearable devices monitoring worker health…)
  • Apply information technology to labor safety management (building a database of enterprise labor safety records, a database of work accidents, occupational diseases…)
• Improve the quality of propaganda work on labor safety:
  • Innovate propaganda content and forms targeting specific audiences such as enterprises, workers, and the community.
  • Reach specific labor groups (young workers, migrant workers, informal workers…) with appropriate, accessible forms of communication.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of propaganda work through surveys and public opinion research.

4. Minimize work accidents and occupational diseases:

• Propose measures to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases:
  • Analyze and assess risks in the workplace to have appropriate preventive measures.
  • Provide adequate personal and collective protective equipment and guide workers on proficient use.
  • Organize periodic health checks for workers, especially for those working in toxic, hazardous environments.
• Improve working conditions:
  • Ensure a clean, well-ventilated work environment, strictly complying with occupational safety and health standards.
  • Apply ergonomic solutions to minimize factors causing stress, fatigue, and affecting workers’ health.
• Have a health care regime for workers:
  • Support medical examination and treatment costs, functional rehabilitation for workers suffering from work accidents or occupational diseases.
  • Organize mental health care activities, prevent burnout, and reduce stress for workers.

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III. Activities and Events

Labor Safety Month is an occasion to organize many activities and events to raise awareness about labor safety, enhance the responsibility of stakeholders, and promote the effectiveness of labor safety work. Some typical activities and events during Labor Safety Month include:

1. Conferences and workshops on labor safety:

• National conference on labor safety:
  • Emphasize the leadership role of Party committees and authorities at all levels in labor safety work.
  • Evaluate the labor safety situation during the year, identifying challenges and solutions.
  • Set out development orientations for labor safety work in the next period.
• Thematic workshops on labor safety in hazardous industries:
  • Analyze specific risks of labor safety in each industry.
  • Share experiences in preventing work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Propose suitable solutions to improve the effectiveness of labor safety work in hazardous industries.
• Workshops to share experiences in preventing work accidents and occupational diseases:
  • Introduce effective models and measures for preventing work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Share practical experiences from businesses and organizations with good achievements in labor safety work.
  • Propose solutions to apply models and measures for preventing work accidents and occupational diseases in practice.

2. Propaganda and education on labor safety:

• Issuing propaganda materials on labor safety laws, labor safety procedures, and measures to prevent work accidents:
  • Diversify material formats such as books, newspapers, pictures, videos, …
  • Use easy-to-understand language, suitable for the cognitive level of workers.
  • Distribute widely to workers, businesses, and the community.
• Organizing training sessions on labor safety for workers, managers, and employers:
  • Training content is practical, suitable for the needs of each audience.
  • Use diverse, vivid teaching methods such as presentations, group discussions, and skills practice.
  • Evaluate training effectiveness through tests and surveys.
• Using media such as newspapers, television, internet,… to propagate the importance of labor safety:
  • Increase broadcast time for programs on labor safety.
  • Diversify propaganda content, including information on labor safety laws, labor safety procedures, measures to prevent work accidents, occupational diseases, and outstanding examples of labor safety.
  • Encourage community participation in propaganda activities on labor safety.

3. Inspection and examination of labor safety:

• Functional agencies strengthen inspection and examination of labor safety at enterprises:
  • Make specific inspection and examination plans, focusing on high-risk industries and enterprises.
  • Apply diverse inspection and examination measures, combining surprise checks with regular inspections.
  • Use advanced technologies to support inspection and examination.
• Detect and handle violations of labor safety:
  • Strictly handle violations of labor safety to create a deterrent.
  • Require enterprises to take timely corrective measures for labor safety violations.
  • Publicize information about violations of labor safety to warn enterprises and workers.

4. Competition on labor safety:

• Organize labor safety competitions among enterprises in the same industry or region:
  • Set clear, specific evaluation criteria, suitable for the characteristics of each industry and region.
  • Create attractive, meaningful rewards to encourage enterprises to participate.
  • Announce competition results widely and promptly, creating a spillover effect.
• Reward enterprises with good achievements in labor safety work:
  • Diversify forms of rewards such as certificates of merit, commendations, material rewards, …
  • Organize formal reward ceremonies to enhance recognition.
  • Publicize the rewarded enterprises on mass media, creating motivation for other enterprises.
• Highlight exemplary labor collectives and individuals in labor safety work:
  • Identify and honor examples of overcoming difficulties and being creative in protecting labor safety.
  • Share the stories of exemplary models through communication channels, conferences, and workshops.
  • Encourage workers to learn from exemplary models.

5. Visits and learning experiences on labor safety:

• Organize delegations to visit and learn from experiences on labor safety at enterprises with good achievements in labor safety work:
  • Select enterprises to visit that are suitable for the characteristics of each industry and field.
  • Carefully prepare the visit program, ensuring practicality and effectiveness.
  • Organize a review meeting to draw lessons learned after each visit.
• Share experiences in preventing work accidents and occupational diseases among enterprises:
  • Create forums for enterprises to share and exchange experiences on labor safety.
  • Invite labor safety experts to consult and answer practical questions.
  • Compile and disseminate good experiences and initiatives on labor safety.
• Apply scientific and technical advancements to labor safety work:
  • Learn about and apply new technologies in the field of labor safety (e.g., sensors monitoring air quality, AI cameras detecting violations, VR virtual reality technology for training…)
  • Build a database on labor safety technologies and solutions.
  • Support enterprises in applying scientific and technical advancements in practice.

6. Other activities:

• Organize physical education, sports, cultural, and artistic activities to contribute to improving the spiritual life of workers:
  • Diversify activities, suitable for the interests and needs of workers.
  • Encourage the participation of a large number of workers.
  • Build a healthy working environment, reduce stress and pressure.
• Launch the movement “All people join hands to protect labor safety”.
  • Develop propaganda slogans that are concise, easy to understand, and easy to remember.
  • Diversify forms of propaganda such as hanging banners, slogans, organizing meetings, parades…
  • Mobilize the participation of all levels of government, unions, businesses, and workers.
• Improve the quality of propaganda work on labor safety:
  • Innovate propaganda content and forms targeting specific audiences such as enterprises, workers, and the community.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of propaganda work through surveys and public opinion research.

Labor Safety Month is an opportunity to concentrate resources, promote propaganda, education, inspection, examination, and competition activities on labor safety. Thanks to these activities, awareness of labor safety is raised, the responsibility of stakeholders is strengthened, and the effectiveness of labor safety work is improved, contributing to minimizing work accidents and occupational diseases, protecting the health and lives of workers.

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IV. Theme and Slogans for the 2024 Safety Month

Theme: Strengthen ensuring occupational safety and health at the workplace and in the supply chain

Meaning of the theme:

• Emphasize the importance of ensuring occupational safety and health not only within the enterprise’s workplace but also throughout the entire supply chain.
• Raise awareness of the close link between occupational safety and health at the workplace and in the supply chain.
• Encourage cooperation among stakeholders in the supply chain to jointly ensure occupational safety and health.
• Expand the scope of the impact of occupational safety and health work, contributing to protecting the health and improving the lives of workers throughout society.

Slogans:

• Join hands to promote occupational safety and health at the workplace and in the supply chain.
  • Call for the joint effort of all relevant parties, including local authorities, businesses, workers, and social organizations.
  • Emphasize the role of each individual and collective in ensuring occupational safety and health.
  • Highlight the necessity of close coordination among stakeholders to achieve the highest efficiency in occupational safety and health work.
• For a safe, healthy, and efficient working environment.
  • Express the goal of occupational safety and health work, which is to create a safe working environment, protect workers’ health, and contribute to improving work efficiency.
  • Encourage businesses and workers to join hands in building the best working environment.
  • Emphasize the role of occupational safety and health for the sustainable development of businesses and society.
• Enhance responsibility, join hands to protect labor safety.
  • Emphasize the responsibility of each individual and collective in ensuring occupational safety and health.
  • Call for the joint effort of everyone to protect labor safety.
  • Emphasize the importance of occupational safety and health work for the health and lives of workers.
• Labor safety – The responsibility of each individual and collective.
  • Affirm the responsibility of each individual and collective in ensuring occupational safety and health.
  • Encourage each individual to raise awareness and properly implement regulations on occupational safety and health.
  • Emphasize the role of the collective in building a labor safety culture at the workplace.
• For labor safety, for your own health and the community’s.
  • Directly link labor safety with personal and community health.
  • Raise awareness of the importance of labor safety for public health.
  • Encourage each individual to join hands to protect labor safety for their own health and that of the community.

Meaning of the slogans:

• The slogans for Labor Safety Month 2024 are concise, succinct, easy to understand, and easy to remember.
• The slogans clearly express the theme of Labor Safety Month 2024.
• The slogans call for the joint effort of all stakeholders in raising awareness about labor safety, enhancing responsibility, and effectively implementing labor safety protection measures.
• The slogans aim for the goal of building a safe and hygienic working environment, contributing to protecting workers’ health, improving labor productivity, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development.

The importance of the theme and slogans for Labor Safety Month 2024:

In the context of increasingly deep international integration, Vietnamese enterprises are actively participating in the global supply chain. To meet the occupational safety and health requirements of international business partners, Vietnamese enterprises must ensure occupational safety and health not only within their workplaces but also throughout the entire supply chain. Labor Safety Month 2024, with its theme and slogans, plays a crucial role in encouraging Vietnamese enterprises to raise awareness of occupational safety and health, enhance responsibility, and effectively implement labor safety protection measures in the supply chain. As a result, Vietnamese enterprises will improve their competitiveness, develop sustainably, and contribute to the overall development of the economy.

Direction for ensuring labor safety in the supply chain

To effectively ensure occupational safety and health in the supply chain, several important solutions need to be implemented, including:

• Develop the enterprise’s occupational safety and health policy: Each enterprise and party in the supply chain needs to develop and seriously implement an occupational safety and health policy, consistent with its operational characteristics.
• Raise awareness of occupational safety and health for all parties in the supply chain: Organize propaganda, education, and training on occupational safety and health for managers, workers, and related parties.
• Assess occupational safety and health risks: Identify potential occupational safety and health risks throughout the entire supply chain, from raw material selection, transportation, production to product distribution.
• Implement risk mitigation measures: Apply technical, organizational, and managerial measures to minimize occupational safety and health risks in the supply chain.
• Monitor and evaluate periodically: Regularly inspect and evaluate the implementation of occupational safety and health work in the supply chain, promptly detect and handle violations or weaknesses.
• Cooperate among parties in the supply chain: Parties in the supply chain coordinate and support each other in improving occupational safety and health, share experiences, and jointly solve problems.

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V. Benefits of participating in Labor Safety Month

For workers:

• Increased awareness of labor safety:
  • Better understand the importance of labor safety in protecting health, life, and improving quality of life.
  • Clearly recognize potential hazards in the workplace, especially in hazardous industries.
  • Master preventive measures for work accidents and occupational diseases to effectively protect themselves.
• Improved labor safety skills:
  • Equipped with necessary knowledge and skills to perform work safely, following correct procedures and operations.
  • Know how to use labor protection equipment effectively.
  • Have the ability to handle dangerous situations in the workplace calmly and effectively.
• Protection of health and life:
  • Minimize the risk of work accidents and occupational diseases, contributing to protecting one’s own health and life.
  • Enhance physical and mental health, improving quality of life.
  • Have more time for family and oneself.
• Improved spiritual life:
  • Participating in cultural and sports activities during Labor Safety Month helps with recreation, relaxation, and reducing stress and fatigue.
  • Increase exchange and solidarity among officials and employees, creating a happy and comfortable working environment.
  • Improving spiritual life contributes to enhancing work efficiency and quality of life.

For businesses:

• Enhance image and reputation:
  • Demonstrate the business’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of workers.
  • Contribute to enhancing the image and reputation of the business in the eyes of customers, partners, and the community.
  • Build worker trust in the business, attracting and retaining talent.
• Minimize work accidents:
  • Save costs on treatment and compensation for damages due to work accidents.
  • Minimize disruption to production and business due to work accidents.
  • Improve labor productivity and operational efficiency of the business.
• Strengthen the bond between businesses and workers:
  • Create a united, cooperative working environment between the business and workers.
  • Enhance workers’ sense of responsibility towards their work.
  • Promote the sustainable development of the business.
• Improve operational efficiency:
  • Reduce production and business costs due to work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Improve labor productivity and product quality.
  • Boost profits and growth of the business.

For the community:

• Reduce the burden on society:
  • Reduce costs for the health and social security systems due to work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Reduce the burden on workers’ families when work accidents occur.
  • Contribute to ensuring social security and order.
• Raise community awareness of labor safety:
  • Increase understanding of the importance of labor safety for everyone in the community.
  • Contribute to building a safe and healthy living environment for everyone.
  • Promote a culture of labor safety in the community.
• Promote socio-economic development:
  • Improving business operational efficiency contributes to promoting socio-economic development.
  • Create jobs and increase income for people.

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VI. Reference Sources

• https://baochinhphu.vn/phat-dong-thang-cong-nhan-thang-an-toan-lao-dong-2024-102240426140824599.htm
• https://www.molisa.gov.vn/baiviet/233169?tintucID=233169

VII. Frequently Asked Questions about Labor Safety Month

1. Why is Labor Safety Month often held in May each year?

Labor Safety Month is held in May each year in Vietnam for two main reasons:

• Commemorate historical event: In May 1962, the first national conference on labor safety was held in Vietnam. The conference proposed many measures to improve labor safety work, including organizing a “Labor Safety Month”. Since then, Labor Safety Month has become an annual event held in May to remember this important historical event and affirm the importance of labor safety work.
• Favorable weather conditions: May is the transition period between spring and summer, with a mild, pleasant climate, favorable for organizing outdoor activities that gather large crowds, such as conferences, workshops, meetings, parades,… on labor safety.

In addition, organizing Labor Safety Month in May also has an educational meaning regarding fire prevention and explosion, as this is a time when forest fires often occur due to hot, dry weather.

2. What are typical activities in response to Labor Safety Month?

Propaganda and education activities:

• Issuing propaganda materials on labor safety laws, labor safety procedures, and measures to prevent work accidents.
• Organizing training sessions on labor safety for workers, managers, and employers.
• Using media such as newspapers, television, internet,… to propagate the importance of labor safety.

Inspection and examination activities:

• Functional agencies strengthen inspection and examination of labor safety at enterprises.
• Detect and handle violations of labor safety.
• Require enterprises to take corrective measures for labor safety violations.

Competition activities:

• Organize labor safety competitions among enterprises in the same industry or region.
• Reward enterprises with good achievements in labor safety work.
• Highlight exemplary labor collectives and individuals in labor safety work.

Visit and experience sharing activities:

• Organize delegations to visit and learn from experiences on labor safety at enterprises with good achievements in labor safety work.
• Share experiences in preventing work accidents and occupational diseases among enterprises.
• Apply scientific and technical advancements to labor safety work.

Other activities:

• Organize physical education, sports, cultural, and artistic activities to contribute to improving the spiritual life of workers.
• Launch the movement “All people join hands to protect labor safety”.
• Improve the quality of propaganda work on labor safety.

3. What can businesses do to show support and active participation in Labor Safety Month?

Business leadership commitment:

• Business leaders need to show a high commitment to labor safety work by issuing undertakings, policies, and regulations on labor safety that comply with legal regulations and the specific characteristics of the business.
• Business leaders should directly participate in labor safety activities, organize meetings and conferences to thoroughly grasp the importance of labor safety, and propose specific measures to improve labor safety work.

Raise awareness for workers:

• Organize labor safety training courses for all workers, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to perform work safely.
• Propagate and educate on labor safety through various forms such as newsletters, slogans, panels, posters,…
• Organize quizzes on labor safety, dramatizations about labor safety,… to raise workers’ awareness of labor safety.

Improve working conditions:

• Ensure a safe and hygienic working environment, meeting labor safety requirements as prescribed by law.
• Provide adequate labor protection equipment for workers according to regulations.
• Improve living conditions for workers, creating a comfortable and healthy working environment.

Strengthen inspection and examination work:

• Organize self-inspections and examinations of labor safety at the enterprise periodically or unscheduled.
• Promptly detect and handle labor safety violations.
• Draw experience from work accidents to take effective preventive measures.

Participate in general activities:

• Participate in conferences and workshops on labor safety organized by functional agencies.
• Share experiences on labor safety work with other businesses.
• Participate in propaganda and education activities on labor safety in the community.

4. What are the mandatory regulations on labor safety that businesses need to be aware of?

• Law on Occupational Safety and Health No. 84/2015/QH13: This is the highest legal document on labor safety in Vietnam, stipulating the basic principles, responsibilities of related parties, and measures to ensure occupational safety and health in various fields of operation.
• Decrees detailing the implementation of the Law on Occupational Safety and Health: Including Decree 39/2016/NĐ-CP, Decree 44/2016/NĐ-CP, Decree 88/2020/NĐ-CP, Decree 58/2020/NĐ-CP,… stipulating details on specific issues related to labor safety such as: organizing the labor safety management apparatus, assessing risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace, labor safety training, technical inspection of labor safety, work accident insurance, occupational diseases,…
• National technical regulations on labor safety: Stipulate technical requirements for labor safety for equipment, machinery, tools, technological processes,… in various fields of operation.
• Labor safety standards: Stipulate specific requirements for labor safety for hazardous activities and jobs.
• The enterprise’s internal labor regulations: Must include provisions on labor safety consistent with legal regulations and the specific characteristics of the enterprise.

In addition, businesses also need to comply with regulations on fire prevention and fighting, environmental protection,… at the workplace.

5. What are the rights and obligations of workers related to ensuring labor safety?

Rights of workers:

• To work in a safe and hygienic labor environment: Workers have the right to work in a safe and hygienic labor environment, not affected by hazardous or harmful factors affecting their health.
• To be informed about risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace: Workers have the right to be fully and accurately informed about risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace, about measures to ensure occupational safety and health, and about the rights and obligations of workers in ensuring occupational safety and health.
• To participate in building and implementing measures to ensure occupational safety and health: Workers have the right to participate in building and implementing measures to ensure occupational safety and health at the workplace.
• To report and reflect on risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace: Workers have the right to report and reflect on risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace to the employer, state management agencies on occupational safety and health, and related agencies and organizations.
• To receive compensation for damages when suffering from work accidents or occupational diseases: Workers are entitled to compensation for damages when suffering from work accidents or occupational diseases according to the provisions of law.

Obligations of workers:

• Comply with the enterprise’s rules and regulations on occupational safety and health: Workers have the obligation to comply with the enterprise’s rules and regulations on occupational safety and health, use labor protection equipment correctly, and follow technological processes and labor safety operations correctly.
• Participate in training on occupational safety and health: Workers have the obligation to participate in training on occupational safety and health organized by the enterprise.
• Report and reflect on risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace: Workers have the obligation to report and reflect to the employer about risks, hazardous factors, harmful factors at the workplace.
• Help and coordinate with the employer and related agencies and organizations in ensuring occupational safety and health.

6. How does Labor Safety Month impact workers’ safety awareness and behavior in practice?

• Raises safety awareness: Labor Safety Month is often an opportunity to provide information, guidance, and education on hazards and safety measures in the work environment. These messages can help employees recognize and better understand potential risks and how to prevent them.
• Strengthens sense of personal responsibility: Labor Safety Month often focuses on the role of each individual in maintaining a safe working environment. By creating an environment that promotes personal responsibility, workers may feel important and responsible for ensuring safety for themselves and their colleagues.
• Encourages safe actions: Labor Safety Month often stimulates interaction and participation in activities and competitions related to labor safety. This participation not only creates interest but also encourages safe actions in practice, from complying with simple safety rules to proposing safety improvements.
• Creates a safety culture: Labor Safety Month can be an opportunity to promote a safety culture within the organization. When safety values and rules are respected and strongly enforced, it can create a work environment where everyone feels comfortable and safe.
• Enhances collective commitment: Participating in activities and events during Labor Safety Month is often a good opportunity to create solidarity and commitment from the entire collective towards the common goal of working in a safe environment.

7. Is there any difference in organizing Labor Safety Month between industries with different risk levels (e.g., construction, manufacturing, services)?

Yes, there are differences in organizing Labor Safety Month between industries with different risk levels.

The main differences lie in:

• Content of activities: Activities during Labor Safety Month need to focus on the specific hazards and risks of each industry. For example, in the construction industry, it is necessary to focus on activities related to safety when working at heights, using hazardous machinery and equipment, etc.
• Form of organization: The form of organizing Labor Safety Month needs to be appropriate for the characteristics of each industry. For example, in the manufacturing industry, safety skills competitions, forums for sharing experiences in preventing work accidents, etc., can be organized.
• Target audience: Activities during Labor Safety Month should be aimed at all workers in the industry, from leaders to employees.

In addition, some other differences include:

• Investment level: High-risk industries often need to invest more in activities during Labor Safety Month.
• Participation of functional agencies: Functional agencies often have closer involvement in organizing Labor Safety Month in high-risk industries.

Here are some specific examples of the differences in organizing Labor Safety Month between industries:

• Construction industry:
  • Content of activities: Focus on safety when working at heights, using hazardous machinery and equipment, fire and explosion prevention, etc.
  • Form of organization: Safe skills competitions, forums for sharing experiences in preventing work accidents, etc.
  • Investment level: Higher than in other industries due to the dangerous nature of the work.
  • Participation of functional agencies: Closer due to involvement with the safety and lives of workers.
• Manufacturing industry:
  • Content of activities: Focus on safety when using chemicals, machinery and equipment, fire and explosion prevention, etc.
  • Form of organization: Competitions on labor safety, forums for sharing experiences in preventing work accidents, etc.
  • Investment level: Higher than in service industries.
  • Participation of functional agencies: Closer due to involvement with the health of workers.
• Service industry:
  • Content of activities: Focus on safety in the office environment, fire and explosion prevention, etc.
  • Form of organization: Propaganda on labor safety, organizing sports and cultural activities, etc.
  • Investment level: Lower than in construction and manufacturing industries.
  • Participation of functional agencies: Less close due to the less hazardous nature of the work.

8. Besides physical factors, what psychological factors can also influence work accidents?

• Stress: When workers are stressed, they may lose focus, be negligent, or make wrong decisions, leading to work accidents.
• Fatigue: When workers are tired, they may react slowly, inaccurately, or be unable to handle dangerous situations promptly, leading to work accidents.
• Work pressure: When workers are under high work pressure, they may work hastily, carelessly, or violate safety procedures, leading to work accidents.
• Anxiety: When workers are worried about work, family, or other personal issues, they may lose concentration, leading to work accidents.
• Depression: Workers with depression may have negative thoughts, lack motivation to work, and may engage in risky behavior, leading to work accidents.
• Fear: Fear can cause workers to become confused, lose composure, and be unable to handle dangerous situations promptly.
• Anger: Anger can cause workers to make poor decisions or engage in dangerous behavior.
• Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence can make workers hesitant, afraid to report potential hazards, or afraid to refuse to perform dangerous tasks.

9. How can new technologies support the improvement of labor safety in Vietnam?

Hazard detection and assessment:

• Internet of Things (IoT): Use IoT sensors to collect data about the working environment, thereby detecting potential hazards such as toxic gas leaks, loud noise, strong vibrations, etc.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Analyze data collected from IoT sensors to identify potential hazards and propose appropriate preventive measures.
• 3D Modeling: Create 3D models of the working environment to simulate dangerous situations, thereby helping workers recognize risks and take preventive measures.

Safety monitoring and management:

• Wearable devices: Use wearable devices such as smartwatches, smart bracelets to monitor the health and mental state of workers, thereby warning when they are at high risk of work accidents.
• Surveillance camera systems: Use surveillance camera systems to monitor workers’ activities and detect violations of labor safety regulations.
• Labor safety management software: Use software to manage data on work accidents, potential risks, preventive measures, etc., thereby helping to improve the efficiency of OSH work.

Training and coaching:

• Virtual Reality (VR): Use VR to create simulated working environments, thereby helping workers to be trained and coached on labor safety in a realistic environment without danger.
• Online courses: Use online courses to train workers on labor safety, helping them learn anytime, anywhere.
• Video games: Use video games to convey knowledge about labor safety in an interesting and engaging way.

Emergency response:

• Rescue robots: Use rescue robots to rescue workers in cases of work accidents.
• Emergency notification systems: Use emergency notification systems to inform workers and functional agencies when a work accident occurs.
• Medical support software: Use software to support medical staff in providing first aid and treating people injured in work accidents.

10. What can Vietnam learn from the labor safety models of other countries?

Japan’s OSH Model:

• Highlights:
  • Safety culture is built from leadership down to workers.
  • Has a strict legal system and OSH management agency.
  • Businesses invest heavily in OSH training and coaching for workers.
  • Applies advanced technologies to OSH work.
• Lessons learned:
  • Raise awareness of the importance of OSH throughout society.
  • Improve the legal system and OSH management agency.
  • Encourage businesses to invest in OSH training and coaching for workers.
  • Apply new technologies to OSH work.

Singapore’s OSH Model:

• Highlights:
  • Focuses on risk management.
  • Applies OSH quality management systems.
  • Has active participation of workers in OSH work.
• Lessons learned:
  • Build an effective OSH risk management system.
  • Apply OSH quality management systems according to international standards.
  • Increase worker participation in OSH work.

Sweden’s OSH Model:

• Highlights:
  • Focuses on preventing work accidents.
  • Has a social insurance system for workers suffering from work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Has a culture that encourages reporting potential hazards.
• Lessons learned:
  • Strengthen propaganda on work accident prevention.
  • Improve the social insurance system for workers suffering from work accidents and occupational diseases.
  • Build a culture that encourages reporting potential hazards in the working environment.